[jmw]

After a long ride, car was good and hot, shut her down. Went to start and click, click, but would not turn the starter. Used my remote start switch on the solenoid with a straight line to the battery hot and it fired right up. Normally I would suspect a hot starter, but now I am thinking a voltage drop somewhere in the start circuit, maybe at the neutral safety switch? That is the only old part in the electrical system. ALL the harnesses are new. Ideas?

John Walker

 

[UNA4DBL55]

I had the same problem with my 69, I cleaned the ground at both ends and all was well, It looked ok before I did it but thats all it was

 

[BobMcC]

Probably 75 - 80% of all the times that those symptoms occur, the problem is either the cables or the cable connections. If after you clean up all the connections really good, and the problem is still there, then examine real close the cables and their ends for corrosion or broken wire strands.

------------------
Bob McCormick
69 Malibu project

 

[jmw]

Brand new 4 gage battery cables, new battery, 525CCA.

To test it, I turned the key, click, then hooked up my remote start switch from the battery hot to the solenoid lead and it fired right off. Turned it off, then tried the key again and "click".

I think it's in the start circuit to the solenoid, not the cables or battery or starter. I'll put a meter on it to read the voltage drop both ways next time and see if that helps.....

Thanks,

John

 

[Schurkey]

If the solenoid clicks but the starter does not crank, the solenoid is almost guaranteed to be bad. Specifically, the copper disc inside that connects the batt cable post to the very bottom connector--that feeds the brushes.

You can:

1. Pull the solenoid apart and clean up the copper disc. Easy and usually effective.

2. Replace the solenoid. Easy and effective.

 

[BB_Mike]

525CCA? Booo, I've got just over 900

I'm confused by the problem, sounds to me the error lies in the ingition switch and the signal it sends to the solenoid. MOre of a + issue than a GND issue.

You are just putting 12 volts to the solenoid with your little "add on" switch right? And all that guy does is come straight from the batery. Well that is all the ignition switch subsystem does, only it has mechanical prevention for safety (nuetral safety and such) that is on the column. Toss in the fuse box and you have a paper trail on your hands.

I once had the SAME problem, only it was my main power wire that lead into the cab (and hence powered the ingition switch & solenoid). Some moron twisted together two 10 gauige pieces of wire. Corrosion got the best of it and current draw creative a very ERRATIC open.

-good luck JW


------------------
71' 3880# with me. Big Block 402, Merlin oval heads, 10.2:1CR, TH400, 3.73 posi,
1/8th: 8.2 @ 86.8mph
1/4: 12.7 @ 107.8mph (1.93 sixty foot)
--have pulled a 1.85 sixty foot (before street tires or course).
Picture of me roasting the tires and other guy stuff
Video of me staging (smoke of course)

[This message has been edited by BB_Mike (edited 09-24-2001).]

 

[UNA4DBL55]

Solenoid

 

[Steve S]

The solenoid could be drawing excessive current causing the voltage drop across the start circuit. The bypass wire eliminates a lot of wires, switches and contacts. It provides a much lower resistance path to the solenoid and is able to get you going. Try a new heavy duty solenoid.

------------------
Steve Strasemeier (70SS 396, Fathom Blue/White Stripes)
My 70SS

 

[Elree Colby]

I agree with Steve. This is what I done.

I experienced the same problem with my 70 El Camino. The starter not cranking when the engine is hot. Sometimes all I needed to do was shut off the A\C; the blower draws a fair amount of current when on high speed. Other times that was not enough. I have a start switch under the hood. It would start with it every time. I installed new ignition switch, new park/neutral switch (mounted in the console), new start solenoid and cleaned all connections i.e. the battery, the junction block, horn relay, the bulkhead, well all connections in the start circuit. Still the same problem. I think the problem is too much overall resistance in the start circuit and the start solenoid needs more current to pick up when it is hot or “heat soaked”. GM figured this out which is why in 72 they moved the horn relay to the firewall and picked up the power at the starter. Eliminating about 8 feet of wire in the start circuit.

I installed a F**d start solenoid (one of the little ones found on I think Pintos) in the start circuit. I hid it under the A/C evap box. Connected a wire from the bat cable at the starter to the solenoid. Connected the load side to the GM solenoid pick up coil. Connected the purple start circuit wire to the new solenoid pick up coil. Haven’t had a problem since.

Ford solenoid


I know useing a Ford solenoid is nothing new. However I did use the smaller solenoid and wired it differant than shown in Tech reference.




[This message has been edited by Elree Colby (edited 09-25-2001).]

 

[jmw]

Factors:

1. Headers, lots of heat.

2. Standard HD BB starter, no heat shield for solenoid.

I have looked over the wiring diagram and the only difference I can find is the extra wiring and two sets of switch contacts, ignition and N.S., that add resistance and hence drop voltage. Drove it tonight, but we had a cool front come through and it started fine after the 20 minute ride.

I had the same problem with my first car years ago, so as part of the resto I added a terminal block on the firewall with 12G wire going down to the terminal on the solenoid from the switch. I use a clip on remote switch to start the car from the battery hot straight to the added terminal.

I like the idea of the added solenoid or another pilot relay, using the start circuit as a signal to the new firewall mounted solenoid to switch juice straight from the battery. I can parallel off the HEI relay 10G wire and feed the starter solenoid with the extra wire I am using for the remote switch.

I had the wife start the car and I got a little over 8 volts while cranking, which sounds right while the batt is pulling so much juice. I'll try it again after running it hot tomorrow.

Thanks for all the input, you guys rock.....

John Walker